In a recent posting about the music in Ridley Scott's "Prometheus," someone wrote that he hated the movie but found himself unable to not watch it when it was on cable. So I think that that would qualify as a "guilty pleasure," and I have my own collection of those. The first that comes to mind is Michael Bay's very odd "The Island," which I too am unable to not watch when I come across it on one of my HD cable channels. Before that was "Gattaca," an imperfect film that grew on me from repeated cable viewings so I would eventually buy it on DVD, SUPERBIT DVD, and Blu-ray. What else? Maybe, for some, it would be "The Fountain." Or "Twilight." Or "12 Monkeys." Or "Source Code." Or "The Adjustment Bureau." Or, for that matter, "Prometheus." Got any other examples we can put in the genre of GUILTY PLEASURES?

Generally, I don't believe in "guilty pleasures," because if I like something, then I like it and I'm not going to feel guilty about it. That said, one that I'll admit does qualify is Slaughter High. A horrible mid-80s slasher flick, but I saw it in 1996 during my formative horror movie years, so I have a soft spot for it. Another one I might agree with is Bring It On. That movie is so far outside my demographic it's not even funny, yet I can't help but just enjoy it's gleefully over-the-top cheerfulness whenever I see it.

mastadge: Re "Why are 12 Monkeys and Gattaca in the same list as Twilight and Prometheus? Why would anyone feel guilty about enjoying/spending time on the former?"

I know people who can't stand "12 Monkeys" but love "Gattaca," and v-v, so I tried to include some examples of movies that some people love and some people hate (i.e. polarizing movies). I find the original "Twilight" impossible to not watch, and bought it on DVD, and then again in a special edition DVD, and then on Blu-ray, but in some company I find myself uncomfortable about admitting that I like it as much as I do (and I admit that much of the acting is very wooden and unconvincing). And there are haters of "Prometheus," while some of us shell out the bucks to buy it on Blu-ray. I knew starting this that there would be people who count those cited films among their favorites. Different strokes....

There are a LOT of movies I really like that a lot of people seem to hate. That's just the way of the world, I guess. Nothing you can do about it.

Just one of my *many* examples would be INDIANA JONES AND THE TEMPLE OF DOOM. Loved it. Just about everyone else on Earth despised it --- including apparently, Speilberg. (I often wonder how he and his wife talk about that subject; "Hi honey! The only film I ever directed that I literally want to throw up while watching is the one I directed *you* in.")

Yes, I wrote that, and even before I started this, I realized that it would essentially be a long list of movies that some people love but others hate. That is certainly the case with "Twilight" and, fairly recently, "Prometheus." One of the reasons I rarely invite anyone over anymore just to watch movies is because what I love, many of my friends hate, and much of what they love I either hate or come pretty close to it. I once noted that one need only go to the viewer reviews at Netflix to see how most films are rated either 4 or 5 (max) stars or 1 (minimum) star, with very little in the middle, and we certainly see the same kind of polarity here.

Yes, I wrote that, and even before I started this, I realized that it would essentially be a long list of movies that some people love but others hate. That is certainly the case with "Twilight" and, fairly recently, "Prometheus." One of the reasons I rarely invite anyone over anymore just to watch movies is because what I love, many of my friends hate, and much of what they love I either hate or come pretty close to it. I once noted that one need only go to the viewer reviews at Netflix to see how most films are rated either 4 or 5 (max) stars or 1 (minimum) star, with very little in the middle, and we certainly see the same kind of polarity here.

Haven't seen "Twilight".

However, I did see "Prometheus", and I DID NOT hate it. It held my interest (even if I was a little confused by it). That's all I ask of just about any film; don't bore me or piss me off.

While I get what the term means, I never feel guilty about any of my pleasures. As for films that I love that many think are crap, that list is just endless. It's generally the highly regarded films that I find to be crap.

I'm a little perplexed by the reaction to the term "guilty pleasure" here. I never took it to mean films I should feel guilty about enjoying, but that they are films we all take crap from others for liking.

With that criteria, here are some I have always loved that others do not seem to enjoy as much.

Re: "...but that they are films we all take crap from others for liking." That's essentially it -- movies that we like but that many others can't stand. And I agree: I never feel guilty about liking them either, although I may not make a big deal out of it to avoid the belittlement that some people seem to like to dispense when they feel that their taste is to superior to someone else's.

Hey Guys, I have a totally different take on this subject. To me, this category is defined for and by myself and does not concern what others think. These are movies that I feel have glaring weaknesses typically brought about by filmmakers trying too hard to appease a selective audience. However, they are films that I personally really enjoy watching. Now I can try to justify their value by either making a case for my personal likes overriding the films' flaws or I can downplay those weaknesses but in both cases, my awareness of their deficiencies for me put them in the category that Ron has inquired about. My Top Ten "Guilty Treasures" as I call them are listed here with reviews if anyone would like to have a browse:

Re: Hey Guys, I have a totally different take on this subject. To me, this category is defined for and by myself and does not concern what others think. These are movies that I feel have glaring weaknesses typically brought about by filmmakers trying too hard to appease a selective audience. However, they are films that I personally really enjoy watching. Now I can try to justify their value by either making a case for my personal likes overriding the films' flaws or I can downplay those weaknesses but in both cases, my awareness of their deficiencies for me put them in the category that Ron has inquired about. My Top Ten "Guilty Treasures" as I call them are listed here with reviews if anyone would like to have a browse:

Arthur: An interesting collection of movies! You're into this far more than I. But I do want to single out "No Way To Treat A Lady," which I saw way back when it was first released. You write "Rod Steiger plays a serial killer with a mother fixation who also happens to run a legit theatre in New York." What did you think of Rod Steiger and his mother in Terry Sothern's "The Loved One," a film I've cared about since it came out so many years ago.

Was happy that you included "Marathon Man" ... IS IT SAFE??? Terrific movie. If you liked that one, you probably also liked "Parallax View."

The Beastmaster Condorman The Black Hole Jaws 3 Evidence Omen IV The Island (great to see I'm not the only one!) Critters (all of them) Dune (again, great to see etc etc)

...and one that increasingly falls into this category, which is a bit of a shame since it's such a wonderful, wonderful film (and one of only two films that make me cry like a baby every single time I see it) - It's A Wonderful Life.

...and one that increasingly falls into this category, which is a bit of a shame since it's such a wonderful, wonderful film (and one of only two films that make me cry like a baby every single time I see it) - It's A Wonderful Life.

The Beastmaster Condorman The Black Hole Jaws 3 Evidence Omen IV The Island (great to see I'm not the only one!) Critters (all of them) Dune (again, great to see etc etc)

...and one that increasingly falls into this category, which is a bit of a shame since it's such a wonderful, wonderful film (and one of only two films that make me cry like a baby every single time I see it) - It's A Wonderful Life.

In what universe does IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE fall into the "guilty pleasure" category?!?! It's a highly regarded motion picture, beloved by millions. Hardy a candidate for the topic of "guilty pleasure". Or, were you joking?

Re: "In what universe does IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE fall into the "guilty pleasure" category?!?! It's a highly regarded motion picture, beloved by millions. Hardy a candidate for the topic of "guilty pleasure". Or, were you joking?"

Totally agree, and I started this discussion! But maybe he feels a little embarrassed that, as an adult, he's still moved to tears by it. But just because I still cry at the end of "An Affair To Remember" as Cary Grant discovers his painting of Deborah Kerr in her bedroom, doesn't mean it's a "guilty pleasure"! Its almost universal popularity would make it just the opposite!!!

The Beastmaster Condorman The Black Hole Jaws 3 Evidence Omen IV The Island (great to see I'm not the only one!) Critters (all of them) Dune (again, great to see etc etc)

...and one that increasingly falls into this category, which is a bit of a shame since it's such a wonderful, wonderful film (and one of only two films that make me cry like a baby every single time I see it) - It's A Wonderful Life.

These are great choices. Is that the Bay picture, Island? Black Hole is an utter piece of crap, staggeringly crappy for such a major picture from a major studio like Disney which is usually pretty careful. The redeeming quality of Black Hole is the score, and Max Schell, the outerspace effects and models are pretty good for the time.

Every time I watch Dune I think, how entrancing and transporting and interesting, and then I think, it goes down hill so much toward the last hour, it intensely crappy at the worst points, at the best points you can see what might have been.